1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus to be used to effectively and efficiently clean the flow through passage of an endotracheal tube, including the effective removal of even solid buildup on the interior wall surface of the endotracheal tube safely, effectively, and which comprises a self contained sterile assembly that does not have to be removed from the patient, does not significantly restrict airflow to the patient, and may be used to administer needed medication. Furthermore, the cleaning apparatus is structured to ensure that a patient is still capable of effective breathing, even during cleaning, and to enable effective examination and cleaning of the cleaning assembly during continued uses, thereby ensuring that excessive build up is not on the cleaning assembly during continued cleaning of the endotracheal tube.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many patients in a hospital, and in particular, patients in an Intensive Care Unit (xe2x80x9cICUxe2x80x9d) must be fitted with endotracheal tubes to facilitate their respiration. Specifically, an endotracheal tube is an elongate, semi-rigid lumen which is inserted into a patient""s nose or throat and projects down into airflow communication with the patient""s respiratory system. As such, the patient either directly, or with the aid of a respiratory unit, is able to breathe more effectively through the endotracheal tube.
Recent studies have determined, however, that the accumulation of dried tracheobronchial secretions on the interior wall surface of an operating endotracheal tube effectively decreases the lumen cross section, and thereby significantly increases the work of breathing for the intubated patient. Moreover, increasing the work of breathing for the patient necessitates that a higher level of support be provided to compensate, and often results in the patient""s intubation period and ICU stay being significantly prolonged. Furthermore, it is also seen that thick secretions on the walls of the endotracheal tube often serve as a nidus for continued infection in the lungs, leading to added morbidity and hospital costs for the intubated patient.
To date, the only effective means of eliminating the accumulated secretions within an endotracheal tube completely, has been to exchange the contaminated endotracheal tube for a new tube. There are, however, several disadvantages to this procedure, such as temporary arrest of ventilatory support and the risk of complete loss of airway control. For example, re-intubation may be exceedingly difficult in patients with swelling of the soft tissue of the neck, and in patients having cervical spine immobilization, because upon removal of the endotracheal tube, the appropriate internal passages tend to close up and be otherwise difficult to isolate for reintroduction of a new endotracheal tube. Further, re-intubation of a patient can result in additional trauma to the oral, laryngeal and tracheal tissues.
Short of replacing the endotracheal tube completely, the only other means currently in use for maintaining endotracheal tubes somewhat clear is the use of flexible suction/irrigation catheters. Specifically, these suction/irrigation catheters, are passed down the endotracheal tube and upper airways and seek to evacuate contaminants from the lumen. Unfortunately, although the suction/irrigation catheters generally clear the airway of watery secretions, they are ineffective at clearing the inspissated secretions that have accumulated on the inner wall surface of the endotracheal tube over the course of days. In essence, the use of a suction/irrigation catheter merely delays the inevitable, namely, that the endotracheal tube be removed and replaced.
One somewhat recent attempt to address the problems associated with the maintenance of endotracheal tubes is seen to provide a two part assembly which is introduced into the flow through passage of the endotracheal tube. Specifically, a thin interior, solid segment having a plurality of retracting bristles and a sealing gasket at an end thereof is contained within an exterior lumen. In use, the entire coupled assembly is introduced into the endotracheal tube, but the interior segment is pushed through the outer tube so that the bristles expand to engage the wall surface, and the gasket member, such as a foam cylinder or balloon, expands to completely seal off the area behind the bristles. The entire device, including the upwardly angled bristles is then pulled upwardly with the gasket element completely sealing off the tube there below so that any debris removed by the bristles is retained. Such a device, however, does not provide for accurate insertion indication to prevent over-insertion into the endotracheal tube, and completely seals off the endotracheal tube during removal so as to result in a potentially hazardous interruption to ventilation and/or a negative pressure or suction behind the cleansing device. Furthermore, it is seen from the need to include the bristles, that direct engagement of a gasket type member, such as the balloon, with the interior wall surface of the endotracheal tube, does not provide for the complete and effective removal of secretions, due primarily to the smooth exterior surface of the gasket. Moreover, the smooth resilient material surface also results in substantial friction between the rubbery gasket and the plastic wall surface, thereby making it quite difficult to smoothly and effectively pull the cleansing device from the endotracheal tube. Additionally, it is seen that upwardly angled bristle members are susceptible to complete or partial retraction as they encounter obstacles and attempt to scrape clean the interior of the endotracheal tube, and in fact, the bristle members are often quite sharp and may be damaging to the endotracheal tube or to a patient if inadvertently projected beyond the endotracheal tube so that the outwardly projecting bristle members become stuck outside the endotracheal tube. Also, because of the collapsing configuration of bristles, gaps will naturally exist between adjacent bristles and some areas of the tube aligned with the gaps will not be engaged, and as secretions begin to build up beneath the bristles, their collapse is further restricted. Further, such a single function device necessitates that additional items be introduced into the tube, generally resulting in additional trauma to the patient, if some suction is necessary.
As such, there is still a substantial need in the art for a cleaning device that can be used to clear endotracheal tube secretions effectively, and on a regular basis, thereby expediting ventilatory weaning and extubation of ICU patients. Further, there is a need for an effective endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can be easily and effectively introduced into the endotracheal tube, and which can be easily removed, even though it effectively removes solid secretion buildup, due to its friction minimizing engagement with the interior wall surface of the endotracheal tube and/or because of its alleviation of negative pressure/suction within the endotracheal tube upon removal thereof. Additionally, there is a need for a cleaning device which can be accurately extended into the endotracheal tube without substantial risk of over introduction, will not become lodged through the endotracheal tube in the event that it protrudes slightly from the end of the endotracheal tube, and which can be utilized for multiple functions, such as the introduction of medication deep into the patient""s airway.
In addition to the referenced needs in the industry, it is also noted that an effective cleaning device should preferably be configured to maintain air flow/ventilation to a patient during substantially all phases of cleaning. Moreover, the device should maintain maximum sterile integrity as to those components which will be ultimately introduced into the patient, providing for effective cleaning and/or monitoring thereof.
The present invention is directed towards an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus to be used to clean an endotracheal tube while it is being used in an intubated patient. Typically, the endotracheal tube is of the type that includes a central lumen, defined by an interior wall structure that extends from a distal end to a proximal end of the tube.
Specifically, the endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus includes an elongate tubular member having a diameter smaller than the interior diameter of the endotracheal tube. Further, the elongate tubular member includes a distal end that is structured to be introduced and extend into the lumen of the endotracheal tube. Defined within the elongate tubular member, and extending from generally its first/proximal end to its second/distal end is a channel. The channel provides a fluid flow through conduit that terminates in an outlet port defined in the elongate tubular member, generally near the second end thereof.
Also disposed in a vicinity of the distal end of the elongate tubular member is a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly, which may be at least partially removably secured to the elongate tubular member, includes an inflatable resilient material bladder having an exterior cleaning surface, such as an exterior abrasive surface. The exterior cleaning surface is structured to affirmatively engage the interior wall structure of the endotracheal tube with some outward cleaning pressure, for subsequent cleaning of the endotracheal tube upon reciprocating movement of the elongate tubular member within the endotracheal tube.
Additionally, the endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus may, in one embodiment, include a ventilator coupling. The ventilator coupling is structured to be coupled in fluid flow communication with the endotracheal tube, and includes a first inlet port and a second inlet port defined therein. Specifically, the first inlet port is structured to be coupled to a ventilator assembly and thereby provide air to the patient in a conventional manner through the endotracheal tube. The second inlet port, however, is structured to receive the elongate tubular member therethrough for subsequent passage into the endotracheal tube, and as such is preferably disposed in axial alignment with the endotracheal tube.
In order to ensure that the patient is consistently ventilated, a bypass coupling assembly may also be provided. The bypass coupling assembly is disposed/connected in fluid flow communication between the channel of the elongate tubular member and the ventilator assembly. Moreover, it is structured and disposed to automatically direct the fluid from the ventilator assembly, into the channel of the elongate tubular member, and out the distal end of the channel, upon occlusion of a flow of air through the endotracheal tube at a point of the endotracheal tube upstream of the distal end of the channel. Accordingly, if normal ventilation stops, ventilation through the bypass coupling assembly will continue.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can efficiently and easily be routinely utilized to maintain the flow through passage of an endotracheal tube free from the accumulation of dried tracheobronchial secretions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can easily and effectively be oriented so as to prevent over insertion into endotracheal tubes of varying lengths.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can absorb watery secretions as well as remove dried secretions from the interior wall surface of an endotracheal tube.
Also an object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which provides sufficient abrasion to remove dried secretions from the interior wall surface, but which is also substantially smooth and easy to slidingly remove from the endotracheal tube while it is engaged with the interior wall surface thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can provide effective cleaning pressure on the interior wall surface of the endotracheal tube, but which provides minimal risk of external contamination through the rupture of a resilient material bladder thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can alleviate negative pressure deep within the endotracheal tube while the cleaning device is engaging the wall surface of the endotracheal tube during cleaning.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can simultaneously provide abrasive dried secretion removal with effective suction/irrigation to remove watery secretions.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can be utilized to perform a variety of functions during a single insertion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can be utilized to suction a patient""s airway and will not harm the patient if inserted beyond the tube for that purpose.
Also an object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which automatically functions to ensure that a patient is ventilated, even if normal air flow through the endotracheal tube is occluded during cleaning.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can provide for effective, isolated irrigation of the cleaning assembly, thereby permitting safe re-introduction and added cleaning of the endotracheal tube therewith.
Also an object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which can assist with the introduction of medication at an effective deployment site within the patient""s airway.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which is convenient to grasp and manipulate and which provides for easy adjustment of the inflated amount of the resilient material bladder.
An added advantage of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal tube cleaning apparatus which is substantially sterile and contained both during introduction and during removal and internal irrigation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cap assembly which remains in a substantially protected state both when in use and not in use.
These and other features and objects, each of which may or may not be present in every embodiment of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.